Famous Dundonians are to be immortalised in bronze as part of the waterfront development but it is down to the public which of their ancestors deserves the honour.
Organisers of the Discovery Walk project are asking the people of Dundee to select the worthy candidates.
A series of nine bronze plaques are to be designed in celebration of the city’s contribution to science and society, with a public vote to decide which of the 14 nominees to honour in the first phase of the project which has a £15,000 budget.
The plaques will be set into the pavement in the open space area of the newly-named Slessor Gardens at the heart of the waterfront development.
They will give clues to the stories of those whose discoveries and inventions have made many important and exciting contributions to modern life.
Among the nominees are inventors, scientists, philanthropists, engineers, and artists from the past three centuries.
Some of them are not well known to the public and have not been widely recognised for their work in the city this project aims to show as wide a range of Dundee’s contributions to science as possible.
The selection criteria were that the nominees must be deceased and must have been born, or spent much of their lives, in Dundee and they must have made a discovery either in Dundee or clearly linked to the city.
Discovery Walk is the brainchild of Kelly Marr, an Australian who was inspired by the Writers’ Walk around Sydney Harbour.
She said: “During the last 20 years I would hear about some of the great innovations that were made in Dundee, and I always felt that it was a great shame that such achievements were not celebrated publicly.
“Discovery Walk will ensure that this part of the city’s heritage is never forgotten, and it will mean the city can take an enormous pride in the people that are celebrated.”
The group has set up an online poll on the Dundee One City Many Discoveries Facebook page for people to record their preferences or at www.dundee.com or discovery.walk@dundeecity.co.uk